The standards and requirements for fire extinguishing systems can be an overwhelming management task for Safety/Security Managers, who are responsible for large buildings or facilities. For example, at the Mandalay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev., there are over 1900 fire extinguishers that require daily oversight and management. When one considers, for example, the following mandatory NFPA standards and requirements associated with fire extinguishers, it becomes readily apparent that the management of these systems in large buildings/facilities can be a monumental task:    1) Ensure fire extinguishers have not been tampered with or illegally removed,    2) Ensure fire extinguishers undergo required monthly, periodic and annual inspections to confirm they are fully charged and operable,    3) Ensure fire extinguishers undergo scheduled maintenance/testing (annual hydrostatic and conductivity testing, system recharging, etc.), and    4) Ensure fire extinguisher record keeping/documentation is completed.
Various fire extinguisher apparatus have been heretofore proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,940 to Oram (incorporated herein by reference) discloses a pressure indicating system for fire extinguishers whereby an audio alarm is sounded if the fire extinguisher is overcharged or undercharged. A visual indicator displaying the amount of pressure is also provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,430 to McSheffrey (incorporated herein by reference) discloses a portable fire extinguisher, a valve assembly, and a gauge displaying the pressure condition of the fire extinguisher. An electronic circuit issues a signal in response to a condition, such as low pressure in the tank, smoke, lack of light, lack of external power, low battery, or lack of inspection reset within a predetermined amount of time. Attention is also directed to the following patents to McSheffrey et al. which disclose similar systems and improvements and which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,848,651; 6,302,218; 6,311,779; and 6,488,099.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,808,541, and 6,104,301, both to Golden (and both incorporated herein by reference), disclose an automatic fire suppression system having an electronic processor capable of monitoring system function, pressure, power level, and power source. A fire sensor and an audible or visual alarm are coupled to the processor. A valve is opened and the alarm is activated if the sensor detects a fire. A remote transmitter can be used to allow the system to be activated and the valve opened from a location remote from the hazard. A GPS device can be coupled to the processor and the location of the device can be communicated to a remote operator in the event that the presence of a fire is detected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,933 to Schultz et al. (incorporated herein by reference) discusses, among other things, the problem of determining if all the fire extinguishers in a building are properly charged. It discloses (starting, for example, at Col. 11, line 9) a remote sensing and receiving system that may be employed in fire extinguisher devices. A remote sensor unit, attached to a fire extinguisher device, communicates with a receiver unit 500 through infrared signals. The sensor unit must be capable of transmitting data, to the receiver unit, indicative of identification of the fire extinguisher. The sensor unit stores information in memory, such as building address, date of filling, filling sight, barometric pressure at filling sight, device identification number, and location inside the building. Pertinent information for extinguisher maintenance and inspection could be stored in memory. In the normal course of building maintenance, an inspector holding a receiver unit periodically walks up to the fire extinguisher device and presses appropriate keys on a keyboard in order to activate the sensor unit. The sensor unit is turned on and transmits signals indicative of characteristics of the fire extinguisher device and the sensor unit. Such characteristics include current pressure in the extinguisher, identification of the fire extinguisher, date of charging, as well as other data stored by the sensor unit.
A commercial product, Fire Extinguisher Theft Stopper™, sounds an audio alarm when a fire extinguisher is removed from a designated position.
A fire extinguisher system is needed having improved sensing of fire extinguisher parameters and/or to assist with management of fire extinguisher systems.